Sleep
by Alice Leonhardt
Summary: Sometimes the fine lines of reality and fantasy blur. Life and death.


_"__I'll ask you again."_

Orihime stares at the moon that is oh so far away through her window.

"_Are you afraid…woman?"_

Her arms wrap around her person tightly.

"_I'm not afraid_."

The moon is different here, from the view of her window at home.

"_What is a heart?"_

Her heart beat pounds strongly under her skin, echoing throughout her body.

"_If I tear open your chest, will I see it there?"_

It's cold though, so cold.

"_If I smash open your skull, will I find it there?"_

Her grey eyes are focused on the moon, unwavering.

_"__Ulquiorra."_

She would not forget.

"_Ulquiorra-"_

She would _not_ forget.

"_Ulquiorra!"_

She would **_not_****-**

_"__Inoue!"_

Her fingers dig into her skin, leaving crescent marks that resemble the moon her eyes rest upon.

"_Inoue-san!"_

They are all calling her.

"_Orihime!_"

But she can't hear them, how could she?

"_I..noue…"_

Her eyes, ears, lips, touch…only seek one thing, one person, one touch.

"_Woman_."

A ragged breath tears and fights through her throat.

"Ulquiorra."

_"__Ridiculous, I am not here to comfort you._"

Tears stream down her face, her eyes for the first time in many nights, are veiled from the moon because of her tears.

_"__Why do you cry, woman."_

She was such a fool.

How could she miss the longing glances that Rukia and Ichigo shared? How could she have been so blinded by her view of Ichigo as prince charming?

"_Watch closely, as the man you pinned your dreams on dies._"

It has been close to a year and not once, had she forgotten the light brush of their fingertips before he disappeared.

"_I'll as you again_."

Orihime sobbed.

The moon was waning and soon, he'll be gone until tomorrow. Her fingers touch he pins, cold and flat.

What was the use of them, if they couldn't save him?

"_Are you_ _afraid_?"

"I reject." She sobs. "I reject, I _reject_." Her hands tremble as her heart remembers what her mind could not.

"_I'm not afraid._"

"I reject. _I reject_." Her sobs grow louder as the night fades under the bright streaks of sunlight. Despite the warmth, she was cold…oh so cold without the moon.

"_I see_."

Green eyes and out stretched fingers she will never reach haunt her dreams.

"_So this…in my hand…is a heart."_

She could hear his whispers.

Her mind relives the last moment he has lived as her heart wretches painfully.

She shields her eyes from the bright glow of the sun, hating it, loathing it.

She is then reminded of a song.

_"__Please don't take my sunshine away_."

She smiles bitterly.

How cruel it was, that the opposite line was thrumming through her very being.

Soon, she'll have to face her friends, her smile plastered on her face, her happiness radiating. Soon, she'll have to pretend that the night never existed, that she was fine, and that the past was behind her. Soon, she'll have to face the pain of unrequited love; soon she'll have to move forward to the future, soon. But soon is so far away.

She watches, from her place on the ground, as the last traces of the moon fades. Soon, she'll follow it. Soon.

Though the moon is gone, she hears his voice clear as day.

"_Are you afraid?_"

Was there a time where she wasn't?

"_I'm not afraid_."

She was afraid of so many things.

_"__I'm not afraid_."

But not him. Never him.

_"__I'm not afraid_."

Because she knows, deep down, that he'll never hurt her.

_"__I'm not afraid_."

Phrases, images, songs, conversations. They all rush through her head. But she could only focus clearly on one. The last words she has ever said to him.

"I'm not afraid."

She repeats it, as if it'll bring him back to life.

"I'm not afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

"I'm not afraid."

"I'm not-" Her voice cracks.

"_Woman_."

She shudders. It's as if he was right behind her.

"Woman."

Suddenly, she's not home. She is once again in the white prison.

"Woman." She turns around.

And there he is.

"Woman." He repeats. His green eyes never leaving her face. "You should be asleep."

She merely shakes her head. The voice that comes out is light, not like the heavy tone she uses back at home.

"No. I was waiting for you." She says. He merely nods.

"I am here. Now sleep." He says, gesturing to the bed. She opens her mouth to object.

"Woman." He cuts in smoothly. "I will be here when you wake." She stands for a moment, studying his words. But she trusts him and this white prison has never felt more like home to her as it did now.

"Sleep." His voice is as familiar as she remembers. For a second, she glances outside her barred window, her heart doing a small jolt. It's there, the moon, just as it always had been. Relief washes over her.

She's safe. He's with her. He will always be there to wake her.

She smiles.

He is slightly confused as to why, but he doesn't say anything. He knows better.

She is tired. She is weary from waiting for him. He sighs, a sound rare for him to make. She turns to him.

"Sleep." He says again, more insistent. Her eyes are heavy. She closes them for a moment before panicking and waking up. But he is still there. Relief washes over her again, he kept his promise.

"Sleep."

And sleep she does.

**A/N: Hey guys, this is my first fanfic, an Ulquihime one at that. **J **As for those of you that are confused…uh…well, to put it bluntly, she died. Or well, more nicely, she 'followed the moon as it waned' all that poetic stuff. Hehe…anyways! I am a huge procrastinator, so if I ever start a multi-fic and never finish it, consider yourself warned. **

**Thanks for any of you who read it and please review! **

**I do not own Bleach in any form or anything, nor do I own any of the characters. Or any of the quotes and such. Though I do really want the ships to be cannon.**

**Ah hem, getting off track. Anywhoosies, please review and it was nice meeting you!**

**-Love, A.**


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